Helping Teenagers Manage Emotions and Relationship Problems

The research is a randomised trial of two cognitive-behavioural group therapy programs. It aims to compare the effectiveness of the Teen Connect Triple P program and The Blues Program, in helping teenagers manage emotions and relationship problems (like bullying).

Teen Connect Triple P is a family group therapy program that aims to help teenagers manage difficulties with their peers and manage emotions. It also supports parents to better help their teenagers. Teenagers participate in small groups with other teenagers; their parents participate in small groups with other parents.

The Blues Program is a group therapy program. It teaches teenagers skills to manage difficult emotions and improve how they feel. Teenagers participate in small groups with other teenagers; there are no parent sessions.

We are looking for families of teenagers in which the teenager and a parent are interested to take part in a group therapy program.

To be eligible for involvement:

• The teenager needs to be enrolled in a secondary school in Australia (Year 7 to 12);
• The teenager is experiencing problems in their peer relationships;
• Both the parent and the teenager agree to participate in the program and online assessments;
• The family has the required technology and internet access to participate in an online program.

Important information

• Participation is voluntary;
• There is no financial cost to participation in either program;
• Both programs will be conducted online (through Zoom) in small groups, facilitated by a therapist;
• Sessions will be scheduled out of school hours.

• The teenager and their parent each completing an online questionnaire before taking part in one of the group therapy programs in the research trial, and then completing the online questionnaire again after the program;
• The random assignment of each family to a program (by a computer);
• Teenagers attend 6 weekly group sessions of 90-minute duration in both conditions (Teen Connect Triple P or The Blues Program);
• Parents attend six weekly group sessions of 90-minute duration (in the Teen Connect Triple P condition only).

Data handling

All information collected for this research will be kept in strictest confidence by the project investigators. All questionnaires will be completed online and transferred to a data set that includes no identifying information. The research will report pooled results only; no families will be identifiable.

If you are interested in taking part in this study and/or would like more information, you can email the research team.

A member of the research team will be in touch to discuss your family’s suitability for participation in the study, and whether the project is of interest to your family.

E: cymh@qimrb.edu.au